Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
Jessica has a mini-meltdown that leaves Rosita, Eartha and herself without their spirit partners for a while, leaving them to travel up to Montenevera. Meanwhile, Ko believes there's been a breach in his security as several students and teachers catch on to his "secret code..."
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Now that the final bell for the day rang, Ko had only one thought on his mind, and it wasn't continue with his Treasure Hunt. He needed to find out who leaked the security phrase and its authorized response he set up, and why. But first...
"Pardon me," he said as he took the book he picked out with him. "Just bringing this with me to check out, it's a really good read. Mad props to the author, by the by." And after he descended the stairs to the front desk and checked out, he took the book with him to his own dorm...
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(Scene transition: Academy Crest)
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Ko was back in the comfort of his own dorm... complete with a whiteboard on the wall and a stack of blank printer paper next to some colored pencils on his desk. After setting the borrowed book down by the papers, he said to himself, "Alright, time to get to the bottom of this," then took out his own Rotom Phone to dial up one of the people in his circle. Once he finished the dialup by tapping "Call," the device floated from his paw and turned sideways, displaying a working logo on its screen.
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(Scene transition: Academy Crest)
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Camilla had settled into her own dorm with her laptop on her desk next to a digital picture frame with photos of her family that it cycled through. As her Sprigatito, Rosie, was curled up on her bed soaking up some last-minute sunlight from the window while enjoying some pettings that made her purr...
"Ro-to-to-to-to..."
The sudden interruption made the grass cat Pokemon's ear twitch as Camilla asked, "Huh, wonder who that could be?" Her Rotom Phone flew up to her face and turned on, displaying Ko's face on her screen. "Oh, hi, Ko. What's up?"
"Sorry to interrupt anything if I was," Ko started, "but we have a situation on our paws. Also, hi. Now, I believe someone in our group leaked the security phrase and its authorized response, and, as an... 'earwitness,' let's pretend that's a word if it isn't, I know for a fact that at least four students and three teachers know it. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Cammy?"
"Me?" Camilla asked. "Why would you think I had anything to do with this?"
"Because you were one of the students I gave the phrase and response to," Ko explained. "Also, off the record, you are one of the smartest girls in class I know, so if anyone would know..."
"Both points I can't argue," Camilla reasoned, "but if I did end up saying the security phrase, it was to keep other students from meddling in the Treasure Hunt like you said. How they found out the authorized response is beyond me."
"Well, the only other students I gave the phrase and response to were Pico and Balto," Ko said. "Maybe they might know something?"
"Hold on, let me see if I can conference them in," Camilla said as she started tapping on her screen.
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(Scene transition: Academy Crest)
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Meanwhile, Pico was sharing a sandwich with his Fuecoco, Apple, when...
"Ro-to-to-to-to..."
"Hmm?" Pico wondered before he swallowed his bite. "Hang on, Apple, I gotta take this." His Rotom Phone then flew up to him and turned sideways, showing images of Ko, Camilla and a working logo on its screen. "Camilla? And... Ko, was it? How are you both calling me at the same time?"
Camilla was about to answer, but before she could get the first syllable out, the working logo quickly switched to Balto's image. "Hello? Oh, hi, guys, how's it going? Wait, is this one of those conference calls? Cool! I've always wondered what it was like to be on one of those!"
"Well, get ready to find out," Ko said. "The reason I called Camilla and she called both of you is because something came up."
"Ko thinks one of us spilled the beans about our secret code," Camilla said bluntly.
"Please, we don't know they did," Ko interjected. "All we can say for certain is four students and three teachers know the security phrase and its authorized response, but we don't know why."
"You mean the thing about no girl Throh or Sawk so they can't make Eggs?" Balto asked.
"Yeah, that."
"Which three teachers know?" Pico offered. "Maybe they're connected."
"Hmm, if my memory serves proper," Ko answered, "I think it was Ms. Tyme, Mr. Salvatore and... Miss Miriam, I think?"
"Our homeroom teachers," Camilla stated.
"And Cammy says that she was using the security phrase to keep interlopers out of our Treasure Hunt," Ko explained, "but she doesn't know how they found out the authorized response. Do you?"
"Don't look at me," Pico said in defense. "No one even came to me about the Treasure Hunt, so I couldn't have said it."
"Balto?" Ko questioned.
"It wasn't me, either," the husky said. "Maybe some students in the libratrium overheard yesterday when you called us together?"
"Well, in any case," Ko said after a brief pause to brush off the recoil, "our Treasure Hunt just gained a side-quest: find who know the security phrase and its authorized response... and bring them on board. Since they're already privy to our hidden agenda, I guess it couldn't hurt to let them in on the ground floor. And like I always say: more hands make the work go smoother, so the new recruits could help us cover more ground."
"That sounds crazy," Camilla supposed, "but it might be enough to work."
"Right," Pico added. "The code of conduct said we couldn't stop others from their Treasure Hunt... but it never said anything about helping them with it."
"So, now we just need to decide which areas of the Academy we need to hit up next," Balto said. "Dibs on the school store!"
"I'll take the Art Room!" Pico said.
"And I'd like the Home Ec room!" Camilla threw in.
"Sounds like you know what you're doing," Ko said, impressed. "Alright, I'll check out the libratrium for the new recruits. And one more thing to remember: No. More. Leaking. Now, we can't let this little setback get in the way of solving The Mystery of..."
"They Who Come and Go During Shift Change," all four anthros said in unison.
"Okay, you do know what you're doing. Ko, out!" And with that, the bear ended transmission, followed by the bunny, then the husky, leaving Pico to stare at a blank screen before he spoke.
"Doesn't anyone say goodbye anymore?"
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To be continued.
